If there was one thing you could do that would multiply your reach and help you build deeper relationships with people who are already interested in your message and your work–would you do it?
What if that one thing required no tricks, no SEO, no fancy design skills and no algorithms to decipher?
And if building that same one thing over time lead to significantly increased sales of your books or services–
would it be worth doing?
Building a targeted and invested email list of subscribers is hands down one of THE most important things you can do to ensure the long term growth of your writing career.
If I could only take one thing with me on a deserted (platform building) island, it would be my email list.
Why?
Because no matter how important blogging, social media, publicity and other forms of outreach are for getting your work in front of the right eyeballs, your email list is the only thing–if nurtured–that will allow you to directly and personally communicate with your readers on an ongoing basis.
For those of you who are not convinced that it’s worth the trouble (or you’re just unsure where to start) I have created a series of posts that will address the why, the how and the what of list building for writers.
An earlier post, The Writer’s Guide to Building an Email List, provides a general overview, plus some tips and strategies to get your list building rolling. But with this five part series, we’ll go deeper to understand why developing a targeted subscriber list of interested readers is so essential.
We’ll also uncover: how to create a compelling sign up incentive, the specific steps and tools to get set up, what to include in your emails, and smart ways to continue to grow your list.
Email vs. Social Media: A SmackDown
When social media splashed onto the scene, many people touted the “death” of email marketing. Why bother with an old fashioned way of reaching your audience, when technology was offering new platforms with flashier and more dynamic ways of reaching people?
But what we soon learned is that while social media has its merits, email still trumps social media.
When it comes to marketing your book and truly connecting and communicating with your fans, one of the most powerful tools in your arsenal is an email list of eager and targeted subscribers.
Compared to social media platforms where statuses can easily be missed or restricted, email open rates reflect the quality and relevance of your content–something you have full control over. The better and more relevant the content, the better the open rate, and therefore the more impact you can make on a growing number of individuals.
Outside of your own platform, you have no say on how your content is distributed. Facebook, Twitter and others determine the rules that you are required to play by.
If the social media platform du jour deems you (or your content) unworthy, your account can be suspended. Changes can be made in their terms of service that may significantly impact or limit your ability to connect with your audience. Even how you interact with your readers is dictated by the platform you choose to use (“140 character or less”).
But, your email list is your own; you determine the rules. How often you connect with your readers, and the way you choose to do so, is not at the direction or discretion of others.
Here are a few more points to consider:
- Email allows you to have a direct link to a specific person, not just a general update that is sent to the masses.
- It requires more commitment to hand over the address to your personal inbox, than to click a like or follow button. People might follow back due to etiquette, but they won’t share their email address out of courtesy. You have to work harder for it. So when a reader takes this step, it’s a clear statement that they are interested in your work and your message.
- In some cases, readers may have questions or responses to your work that they are unwilling to share publicly. Email provides an opportunity for a private discussion, where readers can open up, share feedback, or debate an idea.
“Instead of fighting for attention on a busy street, you’ve been invited to the kitchen table to share your heart over a cup of coffee.”
- Not all of your readers will be as technologically savvy as you are ( 😉 ), so for some readers, even adding a comment on your blog might prove a challenge and a barrier to communication. (Whereas most of us have managed to figured out email.)
- Reinforcing that your reader’s comments go straight to your inbox and are read and replied to by you–a note between two people–can nurture a deeper relationship with your readers.
- Not everyone uses social media (or the social platforms you’re on), but almost everyone has an email address.
- Email provides a place to discuss your reader’s biggest fears, dreams, hopes, needs, wants, challenges or frustrations. A place for you to understand your audience more intimately so that you can craft your content (your books, presentations, blog posts, social media updates, marketing materials, sales copy or services) to resonate with those readers.
Actually, pitting email against social media creates competition where there doesn’t need to be. Both are required for successful marketing: social media for piquing interest, developing connections, and creating awareness. Email for the follow-up, the conversation and for turning interested people into fans, and fans into customers.
What’s most important is the advantage email brings in the form of control, access and building a deeper connection with your ideal audience.
In this regard, email is the clear winner.
The Benefits of Building Your List, And Doing it Early
Understanding that email has a different role than social media in terms of connecting with your audience, is important. But fully understanding the perks of building your list, is also necessary.
And although writers are frequently being told to “start building your email list”, they are not being told exactly why it’s vital to start–and the advantage of starting early.
To solve that, here’s a list of some of the key benefits of building a list of subscribers (we’ll discuss how starting early gives you an edge, in a second):
- As noted previously, email is direct and–if done right–personal. This aspect alone affords a fantastic opportunity to start building the know, like and trust factor, and a meaningful relationship with each of your readers.
- Your list represents a self-selected grouping of like-minded individuals who are already interested in your topic or genre, as well as what you’ve shared with them to this point (whether on your blog, via social media or perhaps at a speaking event).
No matter how busy or hectic their schedule, people inevitably take the time to check their email. We’ve been trained to check our inbox, even at the expense of productivity. The same cannot necessarily be said for social media (although this may depend on the market you are trying to reach).
No matter how busy or hectic their schedule, people inevitably take the time to check their email. We’ve been trained to check our inbox, even at the expense of productivity. The same cannot necessarily be said for social media (although this may depend on the market you are trying to reach).- Email marketing software will often use a double opt-in process, which requires subscribers to not only sign up for your list, but also to confirm their intent to join your community by clicking a confirmation link. This not only “doubly” confirms their interest, but ensures you have their permission as well.
- Having a list multiplies your reach. It’s like having your own book promotion team because the people on your list are the most likely to recruit other readers and sing your praises through word of mouth. And if you’ve taken the time to build a reciprocal relationship (by first giving immense value before asking for something in return), your subscribers are also the most likely to buy your new release, write a review or provide a testimonial.
- Email is a timely and inexpensive way to reach your audience. The immediacy, and often exclusivity, of the information you share via email can be a compelling way to attract more readers into the fold.
- Two-way communication via email allows you to interact and engage with your readers, invite comments and ask questions. Essentially a free research tool, your list can provide insights into your audience’s needs and wants, help you determine support and interest levels for your new projects, let you gather feedback and opinion on issues in your topic area, or simply allow you to gauge your relevancy in your genre.
- People get to experience you in your emails. Your voice, your style, your personality. Readers want to connect with the person behind the writing.
- Creating an email list is one more way to add value to your readers and clarify your author brand.
- The more you engage with your readership, the more invested they become in your work and your success as a writer. You are a diamond in the rough, and those who help shape you and your writing, will often become your biggest advocates.
There are some significant advantages to creating an email list, no?
And here’s the kicker: the sooner you start, the sooner you can start reaping the rewards. It’s really never too early.
Many writers put off list building for a variety of reasons. Any of these sound familiar?
- “My author website isn’t “just right”.
- “I already have too much on my plate; how can I possibly get it all done?”
- “More email? No thanks! I’ve got enough to weed through as it is.”
- “I’m no techy. I wouldn’t even have a clue where to start!”
- “I think I already have a sign up form somewhere on my site. That should be good enough.”
- “I don’t want to have to pay for one of those email marketing services.”
- “When I have something new coming up, I just
spamsend an email to all my family and friends in my contacts list. That should do.”
- “Building an email list is for businesses. I’m a writer, so it doesn’t really apply to me.”
After reading how powerful building an email list can be for writers, these reasons should now sound more like excuses. (Tough love, people 🙂 ).
Whatever is getting in your way, remove the obstacle. It takes time to build trust and create the strong connections you want and need from your readers. Starting early gives you an edge, because most people fail to take action until it’s too late: when their book is published, their product is released or their service is available.
Usually, that’s right about the time that they realize they should have started sooner.
You can no longer afford to put off building your list. So get started.
How Your Email List Can Increase Book Sales (Even if You Don’t Use it to Sell)
The final point to tackle is this: if I take the time to form genuine, meaningful relationships with my readers, the LAST thing I want to do is become a smarmy salesman and insist they “buy my book!”
But, what’s the point of focusing so much time and energy on my email list, if I can’t/won’t/don’t use it to sell?
The solution?
By consistently sharing useful, helpful, relevant and interesting messages, you deepen your influence with your reader.
And if you’ve already taken the time to develop a relationship, people will not only be more likely to buy from you, but more likely to promote your work as well.
All of this up front effort allows you to grow an invested audience and group of dedicated readers who are happy to support your next project.
If you focus on sharing valued content–not a commercial message–the purchase of your book, services, or whatever you have to offer, becomes a natural progression.
What’s Next?
Having carefully reviewed why building an email list is so important, Part 2 in the Email List Building Series will focus on how to craft an email sign up incentive that makes the decision to join your list a no-brainer.
So stay tuned!
Any questions or feedback about the “why do I need to?” part of the series? Do any of the “reasons” for not getting started ring true?
This should be a great series, Kimberley, you’re really laid it all out. As an author, blogger, and entrepreneur, nothing has been as critical to my own growth as my email list. The day I got serious about building a list and understanding how to use it to help more people while growing my own business was absolutely pivotal. I hope your readers take this message seriously and put it into action.
I appreciate you sharing your experience, Joel. I think many writers miss the unbelievable value they can get from cultivating their email list early on.
Hopefully with this series, new and seasoned writers will have the info and direction they need to finally take their list building seriously–or to the next level!
Kim,
Thank you so much for these posts and for the valuable information. I am in the process of creating a newsletter and linking my blog to automatically go to those on my email list. It is a lot of work, and I appreciate the encouragement.
Karyn
You are so welcome, Karyn! And you are right–it’s not just a matter of sticking up a form on your website and calling it a day.
I’m knee-deep in the process, and still finding ways I could do things better.
Sounds like you’re on the right track, so keep at it, and hopefully you’ll get some useful tips for your newsletter as we move through the series.
I am looking forward to this series of articles, as I have just started my own email list a few weeks ago. I only have a couple of subscribers so far, and I need to know how to find the right people for my newsletter, and then persuade them to sign up!
Thanks for taking the time to write these blog posts.
My pleasure, Ken! I’m glad this information is timely for you, and the next post on creating a sign up incentive will require that you determine EXACTLY who it is you’re trying to reach. Everything else will flow from there.
Thank you, Kimberley! As a about to debut author I’m very interested in creating a growing an email list! I look forward to the rest of the series as you’ve convinced me this is something I need to do! Will be following closely!!
That’s awesome, Rebecca! I’m glad I was able to help you see how an email list will aid you in your new career as an author (congrats, by the way!).
Stay tuned! 🙂
Thank you, Kimberley, for the continued advice and direction. I look forward to seeing your posts in my in-box; I agree that building a solid following takes time and patience. I’m hoping to soon find an agent to represent my first novel and your advice on building my platform has been very helpful. I excited for the next installments in this series of building my readership with my email list.
Happy to help, Shawn, and good luck with your debut novel! I think you’ll get more out of this series than just learning how to build an email list.
Determining your author brand and identifying your target audience will also come in handy with both your book marketing strategies and with dealing with an agent.
Thank you for this series! I am also new to newsletters and the timing is perfect! New website new business new life – its awesome to have your support and again i thank you!!
You bet, Sherrill! It sounds like an exciting time for you! Good luck with everything, and you absolutely have my support. 🙂
Kim, thank you. Informative and persuasive. God Bless. Ignatius Fernandez.
Thanks, Ignatius!
Great post Kimberley. Looking forward to the rest of the series!
Thanks, Allison! What sort of things are you sharing in your newsletter? If you have any tips you’d like to share, I’d love to hear them! 🙂
Thanks for the tips on setting up an e-mail list One question, if I only have a WordPress.com account (I have purchased the domain name), is it possible to set up a list? Because isn’t this facility only available to WordPress.org and personal websites?
Many thanks,
-Sarah.
Good question, Sarah. Here’s some information I found regarding email subscription and newsletters on a WordPress.com site:
1) http://en.support.wordpress.com/subscriptions-and-newsletters/
2) http://jetpack.me/support/subscriptions/
I’m not very familiar with the WordPress.com email subscription process, but it looks as though people can choose to receive your posts (either as they’re posted or in weekly digest form), or use a contact form to collect email addresses and then send out emails or newsletters using an email service.
I’ve been learning a lot about email lists lately and I’m looking forward to learning more through this series.
I understand how it can be helpful even before you publish a book but I’m still pretty far from publishing my first book and I just don’t know what to say. Does anyone have tips for email list content?
Ideas and tips on what to include in your emails (even without a published book), will be delved into in Part 4 of this series, Allison.
And it’s great that you looking into list building so early–you’ll have lots of time to find your rhythm and start building relationships before you publish.
I am really looking forward to this series, especially Part 4! I have been a freelancer for a long time, and am switching focus to writing fiction and/or non-fiction, so I am at the beginning of a new journey. I found Your Writer Platform at just the right time. I can’t thank you enough for all the helpful info you provide as I’m navigating my way through all this. I’ve known for a long time that an email list is important…but my stumbling block was not having something “valuable” to say consistently. (especially since I don’t have a book…yet!) 😉
Well I’m glad you found your way here, Jaime! I’ll do my best to meet your needs in Part 4; I know figuring out what to send to your shiny new list is one of THE biggest stumbling blocks for writers (especially fiction writers).
Best of luck on your new journey, and I’m happy to help if I can.
Thank you so much for putting together a comprehensive series on this subject.
People keep talking about having an email list, and I’m sort of sure I should, but the mechanics and the urgency have eluded me so far. I already have 4 books out (2 non-fiction and 2 fiction), a blog and social media accounts, but as yet no mailing list.
I think your series will be the final push I need to get on with it.
Aaah! No list yet, Deborah? I’ve gotten to you just in the nick of time! 😉
One of THE biggest regrets that most people have after they’ve gained some success is not having started building their list sooner. So much potential is lost by not giving your current and future fans the ability to connect with you early on.
The mechanics–from a distance–are a bit convoluted, but when you get up close, and take it step-by-step, it’s not as bad as you think.
I am in the beginning stages of building a list. A small crowd but so lovely. I love hearing from them and what they have to say. I think one thing writers often feel is alone with their craft. They think their problems are theirs alone and it’s nice to know someone else feels the same. That’s something an email list can do.
My list is growing slowly, and I’m trying to be ok with that. Of course we all want to leap and bound to the head of the class right?
Great points, Lindsay. It’s nice to dream about the monster email list of thousands of dedicated fans, eagerly anticipating your next email, faint with anticipation.
But, be careful what you wish for. It’s better to work out the kinks and the embarrassing blunders on a kind and helpful few, rather than on thousands who will bear witness to your mistakes and wrong turns.
Of course, your goal is to continually grow your list, but the bigger it is, the bigger the responsibility and expectation. So savour learning in relative anonymity for the moment–because if you get it right, you won’t be anonymous for long! 🙂
My mailing list has been going strong for all of…three months. I’ve already decided to make some changes despite already having twenty or so articles written and in the queue (I was busy last year!) This series is coming up at the perfect time to help me refine my message! Thanks for taking it on!
Twenty in the queue? Is that for an autoresponder series, Jordan? Or is it the number of posts you’ve written on your blog?
Either way, well done! You’ve got a good head start, so hopefully you can just hammer out some of the details by following along with the series.
Is there a reason in particular that has you making adjustments to your email list?
Thanks, Kimberley; I have been inching my way to an email list for over 6 years. Ekkk! But now I am going to do it. I’m going to get started. I’ve read all of your email postings to date – that helped me get here. Now I’m going to march through this series with you; doing my homework; getting it finished. (big breath) I admit to being scared. What if no one signs up with me? What if … never mind … that’s just being defeatist and self-indulgent. I do trust you and your information and I am grateful for your great blog.
Let me tell you where I’ve always gotten bogged down before. Who is my audience? I’ve defined who I think the readers are, but where do you get all of that other information? I know about demographics and pychographics, but where do you find the info? Are you going to step through that as well?
Well, thanks for the first steps on the path to my very own email list. Smiles, dayna
Yay! Now is the time, Dayna!
Believe me, I know it can be daunting, but so are most things you’re trying for the first time, right?
Don’t worry about not having anybody signing up at first–then there won’t be anybody around to see you mess things up! But once you get a better idea of what appeals to your readers, and start shaping and honing your email content to suit their needs, your list will start to build.
There’s a lovely symmetry to it: when you suck, nobody sticks around to see it; when you’re great, people are compelled to hang around. 🙂
As for really narrowing down your audience, try this post: How to Target an Audience (And Avoid Book Launch Flop).
If you’ve already read it (because you’re super awesome and have read all my email postings 🙂 ), then I’d recommend two things:
1) Make sure you have really narrowed down EXACTLY what it is that you have to offer (both book and brand). What are you all about? What’s your advantage or your edge? What message are you trying to get out there, and what makes it uniquely yours? Sometimes writers get jammed up with defining an audience for their work because they haven’t nailed down what their work is really all about.
2) Once you’ve got a firm grasp on what you want to share, THEN you start to tease out the group your work will appeal to (with demographics and so on). If you still can’t quite identify your target audience, look for other books that are similar to yours, and do a bit of social media stalking, er, research and see who authors of comparable books are reaching out to. You may still need to do some fine-tuning, but that should help get you in the ballpark.
Hi Kimberley
Great post, so much detail 🙂
I couldn’t agree more with everything you’ve said. I started my email list as soon as my website went live and the growth has been slow but steady! This year sees the release of three or four of my books, so hopefully the year I’ve spent building those relationships may lead to a few sales!
cheers
Mike
I like your style, Michael! Great job getting things set up right from the beginning. Have you had the novella as an opt-in incentive for long? And if it was a more recent edition, did you find that it helped improve the “rate” of your sign ups?
I’ll be tackling sign up incentives in part two of this series, so it’s always good to get more feedback on how various ideas work for attracting readers.
*fingers crossed* on the sales! 🙂
Looking forward to reading this series, very persuasive post. I’m launching my first fiction e book next week and I would love to put out a quarterly newsletter … struggling to dream up meaningful content. Suggestions? To be covered in future post? Thank you so much.
Thanks, Heidi, and yes, ideas on what to include in your emails will be covered. 🙂
A quarterly newsletter might be a fun idea, but you should also be connecting with your subscribers on a more regular basis (probably weekly or bi-weekly, at least).
Most people have short memories. So you are just as likely (in some cases, more likely) to get “tossed” from a reader’s inbox if you don’t create the expectation of showing up regularly.
People will forget who you are and why they subscribed in the first place, and will unsubscribe, or worse, mark your emails as spam.
oops. make that next *month* 😉
Good luck! 🙂
Thanks Kim. I’ve got a tiny email list, but have been diligent in sending it out weekly on Wednesdays. Slowly but surely it will e-x-p-a-n-d 🙂 Thanks for the tips!
Good for you, Brook! I know what it feels like to look at your tens of subscribers and wonder how on earth you can get to hundreds (or even thousands), but it will happen if you follow some basic steps and strategies.
I’ll share what I know, and what I’m doing in Parts 2-5 of the series, so hang in there!
The fact that you’ve already started (and are consistent) is HUGE! 🙂
Hi Kimberley
Great post, but…
But what if you have zero email contacts to begin with? How do you attract a possible audience in the first place? I don’t want to be spamming innocent passersby with my books.
My ebooks have been collecting virtual dust for months, sitting quietly on a cyber-shelf hovering somewhere over the mid-Atlantic, floundering for an audience. Nobody seems to notice them despite my attempt to blog about them on wordpress & tumblr.com, so what do I do? My target audience is parents of young readers, and also teens/YA, but I haven’t a clue where to draw them in! It’s like fishing at a fishless pond with no mates! Any suggestions?
Good questions, Johan, and you are not the first (nor the last) author to have them.
Everyone starts with zero email contacts (aside from a few loving family members and loyal friends), so the key is to put into place a few strategies that will help you earn your first ten email subscribers, your first hundred and *soon* your first 1000.
A smoke’n awesome email incentive on its own will not automagically draw people to you, your site and your work. It will be a combination of strategies, effort, content, promotion and planning that will create the momentum needed to blow the dust off your shelved ebooks. 😉
You are absolutely right about not spamming. It will serve nobody–least of all you–to push your books on people who have no interest in your genre, or will receive little benefit from your message.
But from your comments alone, I can pinpoint two possible problems in your platform building attempts:
1) Blogging about your book(s). Blogging about your book is good; blogging only about your book, is not good. Find the intersection between the ideas, concepts and messages that excite you (presumably these will be related to your books in some way), and the interests, desires and needs of your target audience. What do your readers find compelling? What do they talk about with their friends, how do they talk about it, and where do they talk about it? What are they searching for that you are able to provide through your stories, your research and your experience?
2) “My target audience is parents of young readers, and also teens/YA”. This is way too broad of an audience. As an example, a target audience might be “12 to 17 year old girls who enjoy supernatural romance novels” or “8 to 12 year old boys who enjoy Sci-Fi graphic novels”. It is much, much easier to market to a specific group than it is to try and appeal to a larger, less homogeneous market.
And the other thing to note with younger readers and YA is this: even if the parents are your book buyers (which with teens, this may no longer be the case), they are not really your target audience. Yes, you do have to add them into the equation, but those whose attention you are trying to grab is your book readers. Marketing children’s books is a whole other blog post, but I can say from personal experience with three young boys, that my opinion of what makes a great read, counts for very little in their eyes. 😉
Marketing to younger people often means (sadly) less writing, but more video, graphic, game or multi-media style blogging. They may also be less interested in you and your “process”, but thrilled to hear more about the characters, their world, alternate endings, tid-bits that didn’t make the cut, and even related music and artwork.
Does this help you see the reason why your attempts may not be succeeding, Johan?
Thank you Kimberly that really is a very helpful reply. Your advice definitely resonates with me. And as I read your reply, a faint 25w lightbulb flickered into life in dark recesses of the ebook marketing section of my mind! I now have a clearer idea of what to do & how to go about it. Thank you.
Reading your comment about how broad my target group was made me realise (& laugh) at my naivety! I will narrow the field down. Cheers.
Many authors are making the same mistake with their target readerships, and I think that is one of the biggest reasons so many are struggling with their marketing plans.
It seems counterintuitive to decrease the number of people you want to reach, but by focusing on a smaller group first, you increase your ability to truly connect with them. Then they will help you spread the word, increasing your influence and reach.
See how that works? 🙂